APPROACHES TO IR

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BY SNEHA SURESH TAMBOLI HR 08 SYMMS

DEFINITION

Industrial relation describes relationships between

managements and employees or among employees and their organizations that characterize or grow out of employment.

Or

It is set of functional interdependence involving historical economic, social ,psychological ,demographic ,technological

,occupational , political and legal variables.

4 parties involved in any IR system

The Workers
The management The organizations of workers

The state

Approaches to IR
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

12.

Multi-Disciplinary Approach. The System Approach. The Dunlops Approach. The Oxford Approach. The Industrial Sociology Approach. The Action Theory Approach. The Marxist Approach. The Pluralist Approach. The Social Action Approach. Human Relations Approach. Human Resource Management Approach. The Gandhian Approach.

Why So Many Approaches...?

The problems posed in the field of industrial relations cannot

be solved within the limits of a single discipline, and hence it is bound to be inter-disciplinary in approach.

Any problem in industrial relations has to be approached on a

multi-disciplinary basis , drawing from the contributions of a number of disciplines

1. Multi-Disciplinary Approach

Multi-Disciplinary Approach to problem solving involves drawing

appropriately from multiple disciplines to redefine problems

outside of normal boundaries and reach solutions based on new understanding of complex situations

Industrial sociology : social background of workers essential for

understanding IR

Industrial Psychology : Concepts & provides empirical tools in

areas such as recruitment ,placement ,training ,fatigue

2. The Systems Approach

3 marked Approaches of the systems approach

i. Inter disciplinary Character :

Universally applicable to all human relationships ,in small & large units Flexible ii. Suitability to work organizations & their Sub-systems :

Adaptability Organization & to some extent their sub-systems are rational & purposeful

iii. Dynamic Aspects :

This approach oriented towards the study of interactions & changing relations

3. The Dunlops Approach

Acc.to Dunlop
Management organization

System
Workers Government agencies

Located within an environment defined in terms of technology ,labor

& product Markets & distribution of power in wider society as it

impacts upon individuals & workplace Within environment actors interact ,negotiate, use econmical/political power in process of determining rules that constitute the output of the industrial relations system

The Dunlops Approach

3 parties of the industrial relations system

i. Employers
Argument :

ii. Labor Unions

iii. Government

None of them could act in independent/ autonomous fashion

Instead they were shaped, at least to some extent, by their

market, technological / political contexts

4. The Oxford Approach

Acc. to approach , the Industria l relations system is a study of institution of job regulation & stress is on the substantive &

procedural rules as in Dunlops model

Flanders considers every business enterprise as a social system of production & distribution

Institution of job regulation as

Internal External trade unions

Work rules, wage structure

Acc to him ,Collective Bargaining is central to the Industria l

relations system

5. The Industrial Sociology

Approach

G. Margerison Core of IR is the development of conflict itself

Emphasizes on causes, nature and generation of conflict

2 conceptual levels for analysis of conflict i.Intra - plant Where situational factors such as job content, work task, technology

and interaction factors create three types of conflict- Distributive , structural and Human which can be resolved through mechanisms like CB, structural analysis of systems at the work place and man management techniques

The Industrial Sociology Approach

ii.External Extends to outside the firm which are influenced by factors and forces outside the organization . It suggest attempts at the macro level to understand the factors that contribute to larger influences , for them to be tackled effectively. Conflict is not a natural state of human society. And is Caused when something happens beyond the normal way.

6. The Action Theory Approach

Takes collective regulation of industrial labor as its focal point

Operate within a framework known as coalition relationship where all actors agree to co-operate in the resolution of the conflict ,

their co-operation in form of bargaining

Systems model of industrial relations constitutes a more or less comprehensive approach

7. The Marxist

Approach

Radical approach Based on notion that production system is privately owned and is motivated by profit

Class conflict is necessary for social change, which is necessary to end the disparity between the owners and the labors

Since the propertied class gains at the expense of the property less class, the latter has no alternative but to annihilate the former

Trade unions as revolutionary organizations

8. The Pluralist

Approach

Powerful & divergent groups - Management & Trade Unions Conflicts of interests & disagreements between managers & workers over the distribution of profits as normal & inescapable.

Role of management more towards persuasion and co-ordination

Solution : Collective Bargaining

The Pluralist Approach

Implications of this approach : The Firm should have industrial relation s & personnel specialists who advise managers & provide specialist services in staffing & matters relating to union consultation & negotiation.

Independent external arbitrators should be used to assist in the resolution of disputes.

Union recognition should be encouraged & their representative

Should be given chance to carry their duties

Comprehensive collective arguments should be negotiated with unions

9 . Webers The Social Action

Approach

Deals with control in rationalization & bureaucratization Webers concern : control in organizations with power of control & dispersal

Trade union in Webers scheme had economic purpose & goal of

involvement in political & power struggles Impact of techno economic & politico organizational changes

On trade union structure & process to analyze subjective

interpretation of workers approaches to trade unionism & power of components of IR environment Government ,Employer ,Trade unions & political Parties Theoretical & operational importance to control & power to control work Organization

10 . The Human Relations

Approach

If human resources are not properly managed, the problem of industrial relations surfaces and can only be managed by deciphering and managing the dynamics of human behaviour both at the individual and group level.

There are four basic needs namely Physiological , safety , social and egoistic needs.

The Human Relations Approach ..

So it is necessary for management to design a suitable

motivational strategy.

The industrial progress of the future will ultimately depend

upon how far industry is willing to go in for establishing a

community of mutual responsibility between the highest paid executive and the lowest paid production worker .

11.The Human Resource Management Approach

i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Increasingly used in Personnel /Industrial Relations Term applied to diverge range of management strategies Some of the components: Human Resource Organization Human Resource planning Human Resource system Human Resource development Human Resource relationships Human Resource utilization Human Resource accounting

The Human Resource Management Approach

Newer HRM approaches ,1980 emphasis Individualism (rather than collectivism) Unitary (rather than pluralism) Consultation (rather than negotiation & agreement ) Flexibility (rather than uniformity) Employee Commitment (rather than employee compliance) Empowerment & autonomy (rather than direct control)

12 . The Gandhian Approach

Gandhijis views on industrial relations are based on his

fundamental principles of truth and non-violence, and nonpossession or aparigraha.

This philosophy presumes peaceful co-existence of capital and labour, which calls for the resolution of conflict by non-violent, non-

co-operation (satyagraha), which actually amounts to peaceful

strikes in ordinary parlance.